Kevin’s Thai Coconut Chicken Curry Review
Author’s Note: As always, this is not a paid review. I have no affiliation with Kevin’s Natural Foods or Costco.
A meal for you, and your Ooompa-loompa friend.
I previously reviewed Kevin’s Cilantro Lime Chicken, which needed salt, but was otherwise tasty. This Thai-Style Coconut Chicken curry meal was on sale at Costco, so I bought it. Of course I did. Here’s what I think:
I like the creaminess of the sauce. It has a perfect smooth texture and thickness. But there isn’t much of it, once it is mixed into the chicken. I ate mine with rice, and there wasn’t enough sauce to sauce the rice. Sauceless rice. It’s ok, I’m saucy enough for both of us!
The flavors
I would describe the flavors as…well, very mild. Even with the coconut oil I used to cook my chicken (see below), there was only a slight coconut aroma. This curry is sweeter than I am used to, from the added monkfruit extract. There’s a gentle flavor of lemongrass, basil, and ginger, but just enough to make me wistful. It needs more flavor. I can, however, taste the citrusy notes from the lime juice (and “citrus extract”) quite distinctly. There’s no spiciness or heat.
The chicken texture
The food wizards at Kevin’s Natural Foods do a great job with chicken texture. This is sous vide chicken, which is slow-cooked at low temperatures in a plastic pouch to achieve softness and lock in flavors. After reheating in a skillet, it tastes very similar to freshly prepared chicken — tender and juicy inside, with a slight crust on the outside. *applause*
It needs salt
Kevin is stingy with the salt, though, which does impact the overall satisfaction. If you are on a low-sodium diet, maybe this is perfect for you? If you’re a salt-lover, like I am, you’ll be desperately clutching the salt shaker.
How did I cook mine?
I cooked my chicken in coconut oil this time (I used butter last time). It still took about twice as long to achieve a gentle tan browning as the label instructions, but it worked. I also kept my chicken strips in larger pieces this time, and after draining, I fished them out of the pouch one by one, instead of dumping the contents into the pan. Less excess moisture this way.
Serving the curry
I ate mine over basmatti rice with a side of broccoli. I liberally salted mine (ahem!), which helped the flavors stand out a bit more. Like last time, I question the stated number of servings on the label. I personally got 4 modest meals from the package, not 6.5 (who is that extra half a serving for, anyway? Perhaps an Oompa-loompa?). I don’t think any normal adult could be satisfied with 180 calories for a lunch or dinner.
Ingredients in Kevin’s Thai-Style Coconut Chicken Curry
Here is my best attempt at typing out the ingredients, from the label:
- Chicken (Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, Water, Vinegar, Yeast Extract, Sea Salt, Cultured Onion Juice, Black Pepper, Citrus Extract)
- Thai Coconut Sauce (Coconut Milk [Coconut Cream, Water], Water, Coconut Sugar, Lime Juice Concentrate, Spices, Tapioca Starch, Yeast Extract, Basil, Sea Salt, Lemongrass Puree [Lemongrass, Water], Dehydrated Garlic, Dehydrated Onion, Turmeric, Xanthan Gum, Dehydrated Ginger, Black Pepper, Monk Fruit Extract)
These are impressively natural ingredients. I have no complaints. Although, I am one of those non-paleo people who would prefer actual sugar over monk fruit extract. This is great for people watching their carbs, however.
Nutrition Facts
A serving is 5 ounces and contains 180 calories. You get 8 grams of fat (5 grams of saturated fat) and 20 grams of protein. There are only 6 total grams carbohydrates, of which 4 grams are sugars (3 grams added sugar) and 0 grams are fiber. BYOFiber! There’s minimal sodium, with only 18% of your daily value per serving.
Price and Servings
The 32 ounce package cost $13.99 at my local Costco. But I got mine on sale for $10.49. IF you managed 6.5 servings, each serving would cost $2.15 at the regular price. But, if you only get 4 servings total (two per pouch, like I did), the price rises to $3.5. And, of course the cost of whatever else you add to make this a full meal.
Shelf Life
The “best by” date on my package allowed approximately 1 month to consume (or freeze).
Preparation Instructions
The label offers two ways to cook this. Here’s a simplified version:
- Microwave: Cook drained chicken on High for 1 minute; add sauce, and zap for 1-2 more minutes.
- Stove Top: Cook drained chicken in pre-heated skillet on Medium-High with 1 oil for 1-2 minutes each side. Reduce heat, add sauce, and stir for 30 seconds.
I opted for the stove top/skillet method. It does take a bit longer than the stated time, but it’s still pretty quick — less than 10 minutes total. I think it’s worth it to get the browned crust on the chicken. I used a large ceramic skillet and coconut oil.
Dramatic Conclusion
I appreciate the quality chicken texture and fairly quick preparation. To get meal-sized calories, you’d have to pair this with “something else,” and unfortunately, there really isn’t enough sauce to share with that “something else.” I loved the creamy sauce texture, but the flavors were weak. And too sweet for my preferences. I’d prefer less sweetness, and more flavor! And more salt!
On the official “Awesome-o-Meter,” this scores a “Maybe.”
The End.
More Reviews You Might Like (or Hate)
Check out these other silly reviews I’ve written. Or don’t. We can still be friends.
